Empower Academy will unlock skills development

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has described the Empower Academy Nigeria as a strategic national platform to accelerate skills development and unlock our healthcare value chain.

He spoke after witnessing the inauguration of the academy.

The Academy, unveiled as a phased programme beginning with a digital learning platform, will expand into hybrid innovation hubs and permanent world-class training centres in partnership with universities and research institutions.

Prof. Pate said the initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) to reposition Nigeria as a manufacturing hub while creating quality jobs for young Nigerians.

He emphasized that Empower Academy Nigeria directly addresses the country’s critical gap in industry-ready professionals, especially in pharmaceutical manufacturing and life sciences. According to the Minister, while many Nigerians possess academic qualifications, there remains a shortage of practical “how-to” skills needed for regulated manufacturing, quality assurance, and regulatory science. The Academy is designed to bridge this gap by combining classroom learning, laboratory practice, mentorship, and factory-style training, equipping young people with both technical competence and purpose, while strengthening local production and global competitiveness.

Also speaking at the event, PVAC National Coordinator, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, announced that the Academy’s courses will be offered free to qualified Nigerians for the next two years, adding that the curriculum is designed to be practical, realistic, and industry-driven. He called on private sector players and academic institutions to actively collaborate with the Academy to ensure learners gain real-world, hands-on experience.

Prof. Pate commended the National Coordinator of PVAC, the entire PVAC team, Empower School of Health, Prof. Paul Lalvani, and all partners for bringing the vision to life. He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for providing the leadership and policy direction that made the initiative possible.

He noted that Empower Academy represents a growing narrative of innovation, hope, and opportunity in Nigeria. The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to expanding access for young talents nationwide, saying the programme marks a major step toward building a resilient healthcare workforce and a stronger Nigerian economy.

Pate added: “I’ve heard from Dr. Mukhtar, and also Professor Albani,  is actually this Latin narrative.  The possibility of an exciting future,  repositioning Nigeria on the African continent  for its own people, but also on the global stage. What we’re doing here is world class.

 “And I believe this is just the beginning. That’s why when the President lists the Renewable Agenda, it’s not just a political slogan. There’s a vision, and there is an expectation  that there’s a different reality that you have to imagine,  and then walk the path to realize it.

“Nigerians will see that this vision is real,  and that Nigeria can be a manufacturing hub, can unlock the healthcare value chain,  can create jobs, quality jobs, not any job.  Because here we’re not talking about just jobs,  because you can have jobs that are short term, no progression, not well-paying, those are not quality jobs.  That’s not the kind of jobs we’re talking about.”

Prof. Lalvani said: “What we are providing here is practical accessible skills for industry. Good news, under the arrangement that we have under this partnership,  we are providing in the first instance, so this is going to be delivered in three phases that  Paul is going to demonstrate, but the first phase which we are launching today, the virtual platform  is going to provide about 40, at least 40 different courses, ready-to-use courses, and Honorable Minister, these courses are going to be free of charge to all Nigerians for the first two years, for the first two years, every Nigerian.”

Advertisement